How long does sunscreen last?

Dear Dr Irwin how long does sunscreen last? I have a tub of Elta MD Spf 30 that I bought in February of 2013. Is the sunscreen still effective or should I purchase another? (since it uses physical blockers i thought maybe its still effective). thanks for your great blog and website! Frances

Okay …….. there is no exact data on this.  S0…….. assuming you haven’t left it in a hot car trunk, frozen it or otherwise gotten it really hot or cold,  I tell my patients about a year.

The physical sunscreens tend to last longer and be more stable than the chemical sunscreens.  And the powders like the Colorescience last a long time.   If it were me, I’d probably use that one you have up over the next couple of months.  

Hope this helps,  Dr. I

Dr. Brandith Irwin, MD

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